The Journey Continues: Welcoming the Son
"And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him." — Luke 15:20 (ESV) Chapter 15 of Luke's Gospel contains some of the best-known of Jesus' parables — stories that focus on redemption and the joy that takes place in Heaven when a sinner repents. We've heard them, read them, and many of us have grown up with them. But in doing so, we can sometimes miss their deeper meaning—the context in which these parables were told and how they would have been received by Jesus' listeners. The Parable of the Prodigal Son is one of them. When we read it with an understanding of the cultural norms of the time, the impact of its message becomes even more profound. The father running to the son — This one detail alone would have caused Jesus' listeners to take notice. Fathers, particularly those who held wealth and stature within their community, would normally have ...
